1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image display devices such as home videogame systems, and more particularly to an image display device which captures image data supplied from a video source, such as a television receiver, a video camera, etc., and combines the captured image data with predetermined image data to create and display a combined image. The invention also relates to such a system which processes an image obtained by the capture process before applying the processed image to the predetermined image.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventional image processing software for personal computers allows a user to cut out a partial image from a still picture and superpose it onto another still picture to create a desired image. Such conventional image processing software, however, generally requires the user to perform complicated operations to accomplish this result. For example, it was generally necessary in one such prior arrangement for a user skilled in operating personal computers to perform a sequence of complex image creating process steps by, for example, specifying each action corresponding to the processing procedure through operating system functions. In such conventional image processing techniques, for example, a user might be required to perform the operations of:
reading two still pictures and storing the information into a given storage location on hard disk;
specifying a cutout area on one of the still pictures;
temporarily saving the cutout image data in a memory;
specifying a display area on the other still picture for superposing the cutout image data;
writing the cutout image data into the storage region corresponding to that display area;
discarding the unwanted image after cut out; and
displaying the superposed image.
It was generally difficult for users untrained in operating personal computers to create desired images using such steps. Further, even for an operator skilled in operating personal computers, the operation was generally so complicated that creating desired composite images took a long time. Accordingly, it was generally quite difficult for children to create such computer graphic images in the course of playing a game, for example. Moreover, generally only a limited number of images could be combined at a time, and displaying the combined image as a moving or animated picture was difficult.
The present invention solves this problem by providing an image creating arrangement capable of creating a desired composite image by very easy and simple operations.
The present invention also provides an image creating device capable of displaying a created image and animating it according to a predetermined operating program.
One aspect of the present invention is directed to an image creating arrangement for capturing image data supplied from a video source and combining the captured image data with predetermined image data to create a desired image, and displaying the desired image on a display device. The desired image can be animated in response to user input controls and/or program instructions. An example image creating device implementation comprises:
an operation input arrangement used to allow a user to input instructions for image creation;
an initial image data store temporarily storing initial image data;
a captured image store temporarily storing captured image data;
a cut out image store temporarily storing image data cut out from the captured image data;
a display image store storing image data for the desired image to be displayed;
a program store storing a program for image creation; and
a processor performing an image creation operation on the basis of the stored program;
wherein the stored program includes,
a first write program instruction sequence responsive to operation of the operation input arrangement, for capturing the image data supplied from a video source and writing the image data into the captured image store as captured image data,
a first read/display program instruction sequence for reading the stored captured image data and displaying the captured image on a display device,
a cutout program instruction sequence for, when the operation input arrangement is operated to specify an image area to be cut out from the captured image displayed on the display device, temporarily storing the image data corresponding to the specified area into the cutout image store as cutout image data,
a second read/display program instruction sequence for reading the cutout image data stored in the cutout image store and displaying the cutout image data as an icon or other small image in part of screen of the display device,
a second write program instruction sequence for reading the initial image data stored in the initial image data store and writing the initial image data into the display image store,
a third write program instruction sequence for, when the operation input arrangement is operated to select the displayed cutout image (e.g., in order to combine and display the cutout image in an image display position corresponding to a part of the displayed initial image), writing the corresponding cutout image data stored in the cut out image store into a corresponding region of the display image store, and
a third read/display program instruction sequence for reading the combined image data stored in the display image store in which the cutout image data is written and displaying the combined image data on the display device.
The preferred implementation of the invention provides many advantages. For example, it is not necessary to newly create an initial image, since an initial image for use as a base for image creation can be prepared in advance. The process of pasting a cutout image into a specified position can be accomplished by the easy operation of specifying the position on the displayed original image. Moreover, as it is possible to capture the image while viewing the displayed object produced from video signal supplied from a video source, an image can be captured not only from a still picture but also from a moving picture. Further, an image in a desired area can be cut out by an easy operation of specifying the cutout area on the captured image. Moreover, an image to be pasted can be easily selected since cutout images can be recorded as icons. In this way, a desired image can be created from previously prepared initial original image(s) by very easy operations, so that even users unskilled in operating personal computers and children can easily create images.
According to a further aspect of the invention, an image creating device may provide a program store further containing a correcting program for applying correction and/or editing processing to the initial image data in a peripheral part in the cutout area specified by the operation input portion before the cutout image data is written into the second cutout image store. Thus, when an image in a desired area is cut out from the captured image, its peripheral part can be corrected. Accordingly, the original image and the cutout image can be combined without causing unnatural image certificates or other impressions at the boundary between them.
According to a further aspect provided by the invention, an image creating device cutout program instruction sequence cuts out the image data in a rectangular area specified by the operation input arrangement, and the correcting program corrects the cutout image data in the specified rectangular area by shading off a peripheral part around a shape defined by excluding the four corners of the specified rectangular area.
According to a still further aspect, the program store further contains a motion giving (e.g., animation) program for applying motion to individual parts of the initial image. When reading the combined image data stored in the display image store (e.g., on the basis of the third read/display program instruction sequence), the processor processes the combined image data on the basis of the motion program to change position and motion of the individual parts of the combined image. It is thus possible to animate the image created by combining the captured image with the original image according to a predetermined operating program, which enables more enjoyable image creation.
According to a further aspect, the cutout program temporarily stores the cutout image data corresponding to the specified area into the cutout image store each time the operation input portion is operated to specify an area of image to be cut out. The second read/display program instruction sequence reads the plurality of cutout images stored in the cutout image store and separately displays the plurality of cutout image data parts of the screen of the display device. As stated above, according to this aspect, a plurality of cutout images stored in the second temporarily storing portion are read and displayed in the display device. This allows the user to see already recorded cutout images all together to easily select a cutout image to be pasted on the original image.
According to a further aspect, the initial image store stores the initial image data in the form of 3D polygon data composed of a group of a plurality of polygons to display an image of a moving object as the initial image. The program store further contains a motion applying program instruction sequence for applying motion to individual parts of the object.
The second write program instruction sequence may create display image data on the basis of the plurality of polygon data stored in the original image data storing portion, and may write the display image data into the display image store. The third write program instruction sequence writes the cutout image data stored in the cutout image store into a storage region in the display image store corresponding to a polygon position of the part to be changed which was specified by operation of the operation input arrangement. The processor reads the combined image data stored in the display image store to display an image obtained by combining the image based on the polygon data with the cutout image in the display device, and writes image data changed so that the individual parts based on the polygon data can be moved at a predetermined cycle or rate on the basis of the motion applying program into the third temporary store.
As stated above, according to this aspect, a three-dimensional image can be created quite easily. Further, the created image can be displayed as an animated image moving according to a predetermined operating program.
According to a further aspect, the program store further contains a display control program instruction sequence for controlling display of the moving object. The display control program includes a program for displaying a background image for the moving object, and a program responsive to operation of the operation input arrangement, for applying changes different from original motion to the motion of the moving object. A background image can be automatically created when creating three-dimensional images.